Windows 2000 Pro password problem

I have come across a unique problem and would welcome any advice.

I just purchased a laptop running XP and still have a desktop running 2k Pro... I was trying to get my wireless network set up so I could transfer files and keep the desktop as a backup machine. By setting up the wireless network, I changed the network name to match the one on my laptop. 2k told me to reboot for changes to go into effect. After I did, the "Log On to Windows" window came up asking me to provide a user name and password...something i haven't done in about 4 years.

Needless to say, I don't remember the password. Now for the added wrinkle:

I had another older version of 2k Pro (not all the drivers up-to-date, etc...)on this computer which I can still access. I can get at files on the other version of 2k Pro, so worst case I can set up an USB and transfer files that way.

Point is, I'd like to log back in to my most current configuration of 2k Pro.

Is there any way to override the password at the log in screen, or screw with the settings for the new 2k Pro profile in the old 2k Pro? Is it simply a matter of deleting user profiles...and if so, will I lose all the files saved in the "My Documents" file of that user profile?

Does this even make sense? Please reply if you have ANY ideas!

thanks in advance,
S1mpl1fy

 

Been a long time since i used 2000, but why not go into bios and disable password or clear cmos. ed

 

Unfortunately, it's not a system password problem, its a windows password problem...making changes to the BIOS or CMOS won't make a difference.

The computer usd to be on a network at work...four years ago... the IT guy is long gone and they wouldn't have record of my password anyway.

I'm looking for some kind of end around...

s1mpl1fy

 

Anyone have any ideas?

 

Have you tried just hitting Enter?

Steve

 

Yeah, I know where you were going with that...I've tried just hitting enter. I think I've tried everything short of just lighting the thing on fire.

The message I keep getting is:

"The system could not log you on. Make sure your User name and domain are correct, then type your password again. Letters in passwords must be typed using the correct case. Make sure that Caps Lock is not accidentally on."

Now, what I believe I did when I was trying to set up this wireless network was change my computer's domain name. However, my log on screen doesn't give me the option of changing that... is there a specific format to write the domain name IN the same place as the User name?

Can I make adjustments to the domain name by going thru the old version of 2k Pro (see above posts)?

S1mpl1fy

 

Try this, when the computer gives you the error message click OK then type Administrator where it says username and leave the password blank.

Steve

 

Same problem... and the "cancel" button also doesn't function on this screen.

I've tried Administrator, admin, (with and w/o passwords), leaving everything blank... it's just not letting me in.

Grrrr...

Does anyone know of some kind of hack or a Microsoft password that allows you to get into the program by bypassing this screen? I'm even tempted to find some kind of program that just starts randomly generating passwords until it cracks it... if such a thing exists outside of movies...

Thanks for your suggestions so far, though. I appreciate it.

 

Were you trying to change the DOMAIN or WORKGROUP name?

When a windows 2000 machine has been attached to a domain there are three requirements for login. User name, password and domain. The domain dropdown box will contain a list of domains available. One of those domains should be the machine name. If you do not have a domain dropdown you are not on a domain.

I have used a password cracker for Windows 2000 without a problem. I'll do some research and post the link back here.

 

Try these....

http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm

 

This will work:
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/

 

ASUS-

You are my personal tech god....

jconstan-

demi-god...

Thank you everyone...for anyone that discovers this problem in the future and is running Windows 2000 Pro (powered by NT Tech), use the link ASUS has on this thread.

I have a very cursory knowledge of the inner workings of machine language, and although this method may seem daunting, it works!

Thanks again guys and I'm glad the first nightmare I brought to Major Geeks could be solved in less than a day!

S1mpl1fy

 

Just get a boot disk (any os boot disk that can access the hard drive) and delete the .pwl file that is in the windows directory. If there are many *.pwl files, delete all of them, or just the one that propably is the login passwords.